A child of the Hebrews, and Tribe of Levi, being exposed to the water, 5. is taken from thence by Pharao's daughter, 8. who committeth him to be nursed, unwitting to his own mother, adopteth him and calleth him Moyses, 11. He afterwards visiting his brethren, killeth an Egyptian; 15. fleeth into Madian; 21. marrieth a Wife, and hath two sons.A child of the Hebrewes, and Tribe of Leui, being exposed to the water, 5. is taken from thence by Pharaos daughter, 8. who committeth him to be nursed, vnwitting to his owne mother, adopteth him and calleth him Moyses, 11. He afterwardes visiting his brethren, killeth an Ægyptian; 15. fleeth into Madian; 21. marrieth a Wife, and hath two sonnes.
After these things there came forth a man of the house of Levi: and he took a wife of his own stock.AFter these thinges there came forth a man of the house of Leui: and he tooke a wife of his owne stocke.Egressus est post hæc vir de domo Levi : et accepit uxorem stirpis suæ.
2Who conceived, and bare a son: and seeing him a goodly one, hid him three months.Who conceaued, and bare a sonne: and seing him a goodlie one, hid him three monethes.Quæ concepit, et peperit filium : et videns eum elegantem, abscondit tribus mensibus.
3And when now she could not conceal him, she took a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with Vulgate: bitumine: a kind of pitch; the print's own note: "a kind of glue so called" and pitch: and put within it the little infant, and laid him in a reed-grown · Vulgate: in carecto place by the river's brink,And when now she could not conceale him, she tooke a basket made of bulrushes, and dawbed it with ◦ bitume and pitch: and put with in it the litle infant, and laid him in a sedgie place by the riuers brinke,Cumque jam celare non posset, sumpsit fiscellam scirpeam, et linivit eam bitumine ac pice : posuitque intus infantulum, et exposuit eum in carecto ripæ fluminis,
4his sister standing afar off, and considering the event of the thing.his sister standing a farre of, and considering the euent of the thing.stante procul sorore ejus, et considerante eventum rei.
5And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to be washed in the river: and her maids walked by the river's brink. Who when she saw the basket in the sedges, she sent one of her handmaids: and when it was broughtAnd behold the daughter of Pharao came downe to be washed in the riuer: and her maides walked by the riuers brinke. Who when she saw the basket in the sedges, she sent one of her handmaides: and when it was broughtEcce autem descendebat filia Pharaonis ut lavaretur in flumine : et puellæ ejus gradiebantur per crepidinem alvei. Quæ cum vidisset fiscellam in papyrione, misit unam e famulabus suis : et allatam
6opening it, and seeing within it an infant crying, having pity on it, said: This is one of the infants of the Hebrews.opening it, and seeing within it an infant crying, hauing pitty on it, said: This is one of the infantes of the Hebrewes.aperiens, cernensque in ea parvulum vagientem, miserta ejus, ait : De infantibus Hebræorum est hic.
7To whom the child's sister said: Wilt thou that I go, and call to thee an Hebrew woman, that may nurse the little infant?To whom the childes sister said: Wilt thou that I goe, & cal to thee an Hebrew woman, that may nurse the litle infant?Cui soror pueri : Vis, inquit, ut vadam, et vocem tibi mulierem hebræam, quæ nutrire possit infantulum ?
8She answered: Go. She went and called her mother.She answered: Goe. She went and called her mother.Respondit : Vade. Perrexit puella et vocavit matrem suam.
9To whom Pharao's daughter speaking: Take, quoth she, this child, and nurse him for me: I will give thee thy wages, pay · Vulgate: mercedem. The woman took, and nursed the child: and when he was grown, delivered him to Pharao's daughter.To whom Pharaos daughter speaking: Take, quoth she, this child, and nurse him for me: I wil geue thee thy hyre. The woman tooke, and nursed the child: and when he was growen, deliuered him to Pharaos daughter.Ad quam locuta filia Pharaonis : Accipe, ait, puerum istum, et nutri mihi : ego dabo tibi mercedem tuam. Suscepit mulier, et nutrivit puerum : adultumque tradidit filiæ Pharaonis.
10Whom she adopted into the place of a son, and called him Moyses, saying: Because from the water I did take him.Whom she adopted into the place of a sonne, and called him Moyses, saying: Because from the water I did take him.Quem illa adoptavit in locum filii, vocavitque nomen ejus Moyses, dicens : Quia de aqua tuli eum.
11In those days after that Moyses was grown, he went forth to his brethren: and he saw their affliction, and a man that was an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews his brethren.In those dayes after that Moyses was growen, he went forth to his brethren: and he saw their afliction, and a man that was an Ægyptian striking one of the Hebrewes his brethren.In diebus illis postquam creverat Moyses, egressus est ad fratres suos : viditque afflictionem eorum, et virum ægyptium percutientem quemdam de Hebræis fratribus suis.
12And when he had looked about hither and thither, and saw no man present, he struck, smote · Vulgate: percussum the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.And when he had looked about hither & thither, and saw no man present, he stroke the Ægyptian, and hid him in the sand.Cumque circumspexisset huc atque illuc, et nullum adesse vidisset, percussum Ægyptium abscondit sabulo.
13And going forth another day, he saw two Hebrews brawling: and he said to him that did the wrong: Why strikest thou thy neighbour?And going forth an other day, he saw two Hebrewes brawling: and he said to him that did the wrong: Why strikest thou thy neighbour?Et egressus die altero conspexit duos Hebræos rixantes : dixitque ei qui faciebat injuriam : Quare percutis proximum tuum ?
14Who answered: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as yesterday thou didst the Egyptian? Moyses feared, and said: How is this thing come made public, become known, not in a foreign land · Vulgate: palam?Who answered: Who hath appointed thee prince & iudge ouer vs? Wilt thou kil me, as yesterday thou didest the Ægyptian? Moyses feared, and said: How is this thing come abroad?Qui respondit : Quis te constituit principem et judicem super nos ? num occidere me tu vis, sicut heri occidisti Ægyptium ? Timuit Moyses, et ait : Quomodo palam factum est verbum istud ?
15And Pharao heard of this talk, and sought to kill Moyses: who fleeing from his sight, abode in the Land of Madian, and sat beside a well.And Pharao heard of this talke, and sought to kil Moyses: who fleeing from his sight, abode in the Land of Madian, and sate beside a wel.Audivitque Pharao sermonem hunc, et quærebat occidere Moysen : qui fugiens de conspectu ejus, moratus est in terra Madian, et sedit juxta puteum.
16And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, which were come to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, they desired to water their father's flocks.And the priest of Madian had seuen daughters, which were come to draw water: and when the troughes were filled, they desired to water their fathers flockes.Erant autem sacerdoti Madian septem filiæ, quæ venerunt ad hauriendam aquam : et impletis canalibus adaquare cupiebant greges patris sui.
17The shepherds came upon them, and drove them away: and Moyses arose, and defending the maids, watered their sheep.The shepeheardes came vpon them, and droue them away: and Moyses arose, and defending the maides, watered their sheepe.Supervenere pastores, et ejecerunt eas : surrexitque Moyses, et defensis puellis, adaquavit oves earum.
18Who being returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are you come sooner than you were accustomed · Vulgate: solito?Who being returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are you come sooner then you were woont?Quæ cum revertissent ad Raguel patrem suum, dixit ad eas : Cur velocius venistis solito ?
19They answered: A certain man an Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds: moreover also he drew water with us, and gave the sheep to drink.They answered: A certaine man an Ægyptian deliuered vs from the hand of the shepheardes: moreouer also he drew water with vs, and gaue the sheepe to drinke.Responderunt : Vir ægyptius liberavit nos de manu pastorum : insuper et hausit aquam nobiscum, potumque dedit ovibus.
20But he said: Where is he? Why have you let the man go? call him that he may eat bread.But he said: Where is he? Why haue you let the man goe? cal him that he may eate bread.At ille : Ubi est ? inquit : quare dimisistis hominem ? vocate eum ut comedat panem.
21Therefore Moyses sware that he would dwell with him. And he took Sephora his daughter to wife:Therfore Moyses sware that he would dwel with him. And he tooke Sephora his daughter to wife:Juravit ergo Moyses quod habitaret cum eo. Accepitque Sephoram filiam ejus uxorem :
22who bare him a son, whom he called Gersam, saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country. And she bare another, whom he called Eliezer, saying: for the God of my father my helper hath delivered me out of the hand of Pharao.who bare him a sonne, whom he called Gersam, saying: I haue bene a stranger in a forrain countrey. And she bare an other, whom he called Eliezer, saying: for the God of my father my helper hath deliuered me out of the hand of Pharao.quæ peperit ei filium, quem vocavit Gersam, dicens : Advena fui in terra aliena. Alterum vero peperit, quem vocavit Eliezer, dicens : Deus enim patris mei adjutor meus eripuit me de manu Pharaonis.
23But after much time the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel groaning, cried out because of the works: and their cry ascended unto God from the works.But after much time the king of Ægypt died: and the children of Israel groning, cried out because of the workes: and their crie ascended vnto God from the workes.Post multum vero temporis mortuus est rex Ægypti : et ingemiscentes filii Israël, propter opera vociferati sunt : ascenditque clamor eorum ad Deum ab operibus.
24And he heard their groaning, and remembered the covenant which he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.And he heard their groning, & remembred the couenant which he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob.Et audivit gemitum eorum, ac recordatus est fœderis quod pepigit cum Abraham, Isaac et Jacob.
25And our Lord looked upon the children of Israel and knew them.And our Lord looked vpon the children of Israel and knew them.Et respexit Dominus filios Israël et cognovit eos.
Annotations
2:3When she could not conceal him. These godly and prudent parents, considering that when the Egyptians should perceive such an infant to be born, and not drowned according to the King's Edict, they would destroy both the child, and whole family: to avoid the greater danger, chose the less. To bring him to the water side, not omitting their own industry, as well by closing him in a basket, that would draw no water, as by setting his sister to watch what became of him: that if better success happened not the first day, the mother might at evening give him suck, and minister other necessaries; and so expect another day, or many days, God's providence, till his divine pleasure should more appear. Josephus writeth that Amram, Moyses' father, being solicitous, when his wife was great, how to save the infant, if it were a man-child, God revealed to him, that he had conceived a son, who should not only be saved from Pharao's fury, but also be the deliverer of the whole Hebrew nation from thraldom, and servitude of the Egyptians. Whereupon they assuredly trusted, that God would protect and preserve him, yet so, if they did their own endeavour, which St. Augustine teacheth to be always necessary.
2:12He stroke the Egyptian. Moyses, not of carnal love towards his brethren, nor of private passion, but by divine inspiration killed the Egyptian, as St. Augustine proveth (Quaestiones in Exodum q. 1) by the testimony of St. Stephen, Acts 7, saying: Moyses thought his brethren had understood, that God by his hand would save them. Whereby appeareth that Moyses himself knew it was God's pleasure, he should kill that Egyptian invading an Hebrew. Yet others may not imitate such particular examples. Catech. Rom. p. 3 c. 6 q. 5.